Page 79 of Bar Down

Stephanie turned to him, hands loose in her lap. “I recorded him. The whole thing. I handed it off to legal and backed it up to three drives.”

“You’re incredible.”

“No. I’m exhausted. And slightly feral at this point.”

Marcus threw his arm around her shoulders and held her close to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder. Everything started to ease inside of her.

“I saw your post about Chenny and Charlie at the dog park,” he said. “Dmitri said he almost cried.”

“I’m aiming for emotional whiplash,” she said. “Make everyone feel so many things they forget the headlines.”

He gave her squeeze. “It’s working.”

“If Vicky hadn’t come in...”

“You would have kicked him in the balls,” Marcus said. “And then I would’ve killed him and be really in trouble.”

“Don’t even joke about that,” she said.

“He’s toast either way. There’s no way Darby and Darby will bring someone like him on.”

“I hope not.”

“Not going to happen. Especially if Vicky has a say in it.”

“I wouldn’t mess with her.”

“You and me, both.” He nudged her. “I love you.”

She nodded once, throat tight. “I love you too.”

Chapter Twenty

Marcus

The league offices gleamed with too much glass and not enough substance. Marcus sat in an overdesigned chair that looked better than it felt, waiting for Westfield to finish his closed-door meeting with the league disciplinary committee. His tie felt tight against his throat even though he'd loosened it ten minutes ago.

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